Len Wagg
Report to Donors 2015– 2016
Peter Oleskevich
“We are committed to the personalized and rigorous liberal education that Acadia is known for, and as an alumna, a donor, and member of the executive team of the University, I am pleased to contribute in any way I can to help further our mission.” Dr. Heather Hemming (’78) Vice-President, Academic
President’s Message
Thanks to you, Acadia students have a transformational experience that enables them to grow in ways they never imagined throughout their undergraduate years. Our students arrive at Acadia full of wonder and eager to begin their university education. Few of them realize how dramatically their lives are about to change. Here, they are both challenged and supported, as classmates and professors soon become lifelong friends and mentors. An integral part of student support relies on the generosity of “strangers” – people like you who choose to encourage tomorrow’s leaders through your generosity today. Thank you. With your help, Acadia is able to sustain and enhance the 178-year tradition of providing a high-quality and highly personalized approach to learning that is becoming increasingly rare among Canada’s post-secondary institutions. Thank you for investing in the future of Acadia University and our students. Sincerely,
Raymond E. Ivany President and Vice-Chancellor Acadia University
ALL IN THE FAMILY
The Stevens honour their own by helping students Generosity ripples outward, touching many lives.
“We are an Acadia University family through and through,” says
The Stevens family, through The Stevens Family Foundation,
Janette Fiander on behalf of the Stevens Family Foundation.
already supports individual Acadia students every year through
“Our parents met at Acadia and later married. Dad served on
awards honouring Laurie and Marilyn Stevens. Now, untold
the Board of Governors, and during his tenure on the Board
student athletes and the wider community will benefit from
he brought his financial, business and construction knowledge
their recent gift of $1 million to build the Stevens Centre, part of
to help advise and serve to Acadia’s benefit. He was a loyal
Acadia’s athletics complex. The new centre will provide varsity
member and served with pride and aimed to make Acadia
athletes and visiting sports teams and individuals with the kind
an even better University. This gift is intended to honour our
of training environment previously found only in large centres.
parents’ dedication to Acadia while celebrating our pride in
The generous gift honours the memory of Laurie Stevens, Class of 1955 and DCL 2002 and former member of Acadia’s Board
Acadia. Our hope is that the gift will have a positive effect on the University community and the wider Annapolis Valley region.”
of Governors, as well as the close connection between the
The Stevens Family Foundation inspired more gifts for the
Stevens family and Acadia. Several members of the Foundation
project. “We are fortunate to have the Stevens family as
are graduates of Acadia: Marilyn Stevens (’55), Wendy
members of our Acadia community and have benefited from
Himmelman (’79, ’80), Thane Stevens (’80), Foundation Chair
their commitment to building capacity both on campus and
Janette Fiander (’82), Scott Stevens (’86), Tracey Tulloch (’91),
in our region,” says Ray Ivany, Acadia’s president and vice-
and Samantha Krauch (’09,’10).
chancellor. “As active and engaged alumni, the Stevens family sets an example for many others.” The Stevens Centre positions Acadia to become Sport Centre Atlantic’s first satellite location in Nova Scotia outside Halifax. The number of high-quality events and competitions Acadia will be able to attract to campus is of tremendous value to the University. “I believe the Stevens Centre will play a key role in our ability to recruit and retain students,” says Kevin Dickie, director of Athletics for Acadia. “Young athletes who visit campus to train and compete will learn first-hand about Acadia
“As active and engaged alumni, the Stevens family sets an example for others.’’
as a post-secondary institution. We know a significant proportion of students who now attend Acadia first came to campus for a sports camp, competition or field trip. Many of these students no longer compete in their chosen sport, but, because of their training, prove to be excellent scholars and student leaders.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Research takes flight around the globe The biology department’s Dr. Kirk Hillier is a busy entomologist,
He says in that group there are overlapping
perhaps flying more than even the moths he studies. Hillier is
distributions of types of moths, so the insects
also a chemical ecologist, looking at how chemicals produced
have to have distinct pheromone blends to
by animals affect, are used by, and influence behaviours –
prevent intermixing and cross-breeding. Females
particularly that of insects. Much of his work has centred on how
will add minor components to the pheromone
pheromones can be used in a pest-management strategy, and
blend to make them unique, and thousands of
as a way to reduce reliance on insecticides.
blends have been identified to-date. However, some species on
As interest in this approach expands beyond North American
Hawaii are believed to have unique pheromone systems.
borders, travel has become an essential component of Hillier’s
Through the Harrison McCain Emerging Scholar fund, Hillier was
research – work that’s been generously supported by grants from
able to hire a master’s student who is working toward publishing
the Harrison McCain Visitorship and Emerging Scholar funds.
research findings on the neurophysiology and response of
“Grants that encourage this type of research go a lot farther at
insects and their sensitivity to certain blends of pheromones.
Acadia (because of its small size) than being diluted in a mass of
“We were able to investigate an insect that hadn’t been looked
25,000 students. It provides more exposure to Acadia students
at before, a major economic pest from Australia,” he says. “The
and a greater opportunity overall,” he explains.
funding has allowed me to take my research program that has
Harrison McCain funding has supported a collaborative project in Hawaii, to look at a specific moth group that is closely related to the moths Hillier usually studies in North America. The Heliothine moths, which include the African bollworm (also known as the tobacco budworm) and corn earworm, are common pests which feed on more than 100 different plant species. “In our lab we look a lot at the evolution of communication in that group. They’re all closely related and have different blends (of pheromones) that they fine-tune to attract one another,” Hillier says.
been focused largely on North American species and expand it out across the globe.” Additional Harrison McCain Visitorship funds aided collaboration with researchers at the University of Hawaii. Research centres on Case-Bearer moths, a unique genus that represents less than .01 per cent of all the moth species on the planet, but accounts for 95 per cent of all known species in Hawaii. None of the pheromones are known from the group. “Because of my experience with chemical ecology, they were interested in trying to develop applied solutions for insect pest species that were present,” says Hillier, who is developing a passive trap. The project has since grown to include researchers in Germany and India.
“Grants that encourage this type of research go a lot farther at Acadia.”
Peter Oleskevich
STUDENT SUCCESS
When dreams meet determination Luke Edgar (’16): R.H. Webster Foundation Research Award recipient, gives back after graduation.
Luke Edgar always wanted to be a doctor.
“Having that support was huge, because
His father practiced medicine and, before coming
otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to do any
to Acadia, Edgar volunteered at a hospital in Peru.
research,” he says, since grants are used to fund
Now, the 2016 graduate begins his own eight-year
student researchers on campus.
journey to become a physician at the University of Ottawa. While at Acadia, Edgar found time for extra-curricular activities such as the S.M.I.L.E. Program, coached a kids’ running club through Doctors Nova Scotia, and helped start a group to support refugees who moved to the area in the past year. He also, with the help of an undergraduate research award from the R.H. Webster Foundation, worked with Dr. Brian Wilson in the biology department. There, he assisted with research into a hormone
He says he intends to donate to student research programs and scholarships once he has the opportunity. “It’s so important to start engaging the younger students coming up so they get interested, because in 10 years’ time they’re the next doctors,” he says. He made a donation this year to the Linnea Veinotte Scholarship Fund, which goes to a biology student who wants to do research.
that is known as the pregnancy hormone because it
“Linnea was an amazing professor and an
helps dilate blood vessels and expand ligaments for
amazing mentor,” Edgar says. “She would talk to
easier childbirth.
you about anything that was on your mind, and
In recent years, the hormone has shown indications of being beneficial in injuries that are caused by a lack of blood flow. Wilson’s work is looking at ischemic strokes, and whether injury to the brain caused by lack of oxygen or glucose can be treated by a relaxing hormone to limit the amount of damage caused. Edgar says getting blood flowing as soon as possible is important because time is of the essence in preventing damage, and that’s where the research at Acadia is focused. But there is
was very supportive.”
“Having that support was huge, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to do any research.” Luke
also some first-step research that has shown that
Edgar
long-term treatment for stroke patients who have
That type of support from faculty was important,
lost cognitive ability may help them regain some of
Edgar says.
that ability.
“The professors, and I speak most specifically
He says he wants to practice medicine so he
to the biology department because that’s where
can help people on a day-to-day basis, “but also
I was spending most of my time, were just
continue on with some sort of research so I can
fantastic,” he says. “They were just as eager to
help future patients and advance the field.”
talk to you about your studies, or their work, or
Edgar received scholarships and awards
anything you wanted to talk about.”
while at Acadia, but it was the R.H. Webster
He says he feels that he’s grown during his time
Undergraduate Research Award that kept him in
at Acadia.
the lab with Wilson.
“I really felt like I connected with people who are
He says the funding meant he could do research
here,” he says. I felt like myself here, and through
and stay engaged academically going into his final
my extracurriculars and my classes I think I’m a lot
year, instead of working off campus for the summer
more conscious of what’s happening around me.
to earn money for living and school expenses.
I’m trying to become more engaged as a member of the community and university.”
GIVING BACK
Peter Oleskevich
Chipman House residents Jen Callahan, Tyler James, and Haley Moreau established a scholarship to remember the passion and energy of their friend Sarah Hastings, who died in 2015.
A focus on the future Donors give back to thank Acadia and as a tribute to lives lost.
When Chipman House resident and BBA student Sarah Hastings died in 2015 from meningitis, her friends in residence were devastated. “We wanted to do something to honour her time at Acadia and her passion and energy for life,” says housemate Jen Callahan. They set out to create the Sarah Hastings Memorial Scholarship, to be granted on a renewable basis to an entering full-time Ontario student, with preference given to a student from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute in Kitchener. The students also created a plaque, which hangs in Chipman House that reads in part:
Strong
#Acadia
No words can describe the loss we feel, but every day we try to live our lives just like you did yours; full of energy, love, charisma, and spontaneity.
In 2016, Acadia Technology Services staff established an entrance award to honour colleagues and friends, Lynn Chipman (’07) and Kim Rose (’87), who lost their lives to cancer. The idea came to long-time friend Gary Meister, who together with co-workers created a social media donation site, held raffles and a run, and asked friends to contribute to the Chipman/Rose Memorial Award. “Choosing to honour Lynn and Kim this way made a lot of sense,” he says. “They both worked at Acadia and also had degrees from Acadia. Creating the award has lots of benefits. It helps us honour our dear friends, it helps Acadia with recruitment, and it will help a local student with her tuition.”
Shih Fang “Dino” Ng (’10) has nothing but good memories of his time as a student at Acadia. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he is the technical director for Revenue Group of Companies, which specializes in e-commerce payment platforms. Although he is a world away from campus, Ng wanted to give back to the place that feels like his second home. He established the Ng Scholar-Bursary in Computer Science because,
“There are many who need a chance to be a shooting star and become someone important in the future.”
The Joyce Foundation Bursaries and the Clifford and Helena Oliver Bursaries are supported by a generous $2.5-million gift to Acadia University from The Joyce Foundation. Together, these awards will dramatically increase financial support to students with a proven commitment to volunteerism and to students who are visible minorities. Each year, 20 entering students will receive renewable $5,000 bursaries granted on the basis of financial need. Business leader Ron Joyce says his foundation wants to help remove financial barriers to education. “Recognizing students who are already committed to their communities by being active volunteers is particularly satisfying,” he says. Retired senator Donald Oliver (’60) appreciates Joyce’s support of the Oliver bursaries in honour of his parents. “This incredible gift will help open the doors to many more young people, particularly African Canadians from the Atlantic, who will benefit from everything Acadia has to offer.”
Facts and Figures Statement of Changes For the year ended March 31, 2016, the Endowment Fund had
Market Performance and Annualized Returns
a market value in excess of $73.8 million. Contributions to the
Acadia University Endowment Fund performance over five
funds were $3.0 million for the year. The funds distributed $4.1
years is 5.6 per cent compared to the median of 7.6 per cent
million, averaging a net payout of 4.4%. A market depreciation
for plans less than $100 million.
of $2.9 million was recognized in the current year. Acadia University effectively manages administration fees (0.7% of total assets).
Beginning balance
$77,913,594
Annualized Returns
1 year
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
Plan
(3.79%)
3.31%
7.78%
7.73%
5.56%
Median
(0.71%)
5.38%
8.77%
9.40%
7.64%
Asset and Manager Allocation As at March 31, 2016
Revenue and additions Bequests and donations
$2,755,978
Transfer from special reserve funds* Market appreciation (depreciation)
The allocation of Acadia’s endowment funds is listed below,
209,786
with the highest weighting to Fixed Income and Cash,
(2,950,198)
Transfer from operating fund
12,478
28,044
Fixed Income and Cash .................................................. 31.61%
Expenditure and income transfers Investment services
$369,660
Administration fees
200,000
Transfer to research fund
Canadian Equity ............................................................... 29.93% U.S. Equity ......................................................................... 18.44% Global Equity .................................................................... 20.02%
6,660
Transfer to special reserve funds* Transfer to capital fund
followed closely by Canadian Equity.
1,644,500 12,986
Transfer to operating fund
1,820,093
Balance at end of period
4,053,899 $73,887,739
*Special reserve funds are restricted funds held separately between the time a donation is made and the time the designation is finalized by the donor.
Investment Committee Members Bert Frizzell FCGA The Shaw Group David Hastings FCPA, FCMA, CIPFA (HON) Investment Committee Chair
GENERAL
6.4%
OTHER
Raymond E. Ivany Acadia University
4.0%
PROFESSORSHIPS & CHAIRS
SCHOLARSHIPS & BURSARIES
13.9%
50.6%
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
25.1%
Shelley MacDougall PhD Manning School of Business, Acadia University Stuart MacLean Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia Mary MacVicar CPA, CMA Acadia University Norm McIntyre Nemcor Inc. Don Reed CFA Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. and Templeton Investment Council, LLC
Andrew Tolson, Maclean’s magazine
Andrew Tolson, Maclean’s magazine
grow exponentially Office of Advancement 15 University Avenue Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada
Telephone: (902) 585-1459 Toll Free: 1-866-222-3428
Web: giving.acadiau.ca Email: advancement@acadiau.ca